Chest Pain when running on treadmill

I am fairly active, Bike to work and rollerblade a lot. When I run on a treadmill I start to get chest pain about 15 minutes into the run. If I slow down I'm able to run through this and the chest pain goes away.

I would describe it as moderate discomfort in the breast bone area near to the top of the rib cage.

I was concerned with this so went to the doctor and did an Ecocardiogram Stress Test where I took my heart rate up to 190BPM and the results were normal.

Is there anything other than cardio that could be causing these chest pains?

I will describe the pain. I usually run for about 30 minutes and the pain came on around the 12 to 13 minute mark. I slowed my pace down by about 10% and then by min 15-16 the pain was gone and I was able to continue my run and finish 30 minutes worth.

I have read various claims on the accuracy of EKG Stress tests. Some studies claim that S-T Segment Depression on an EKG is 65% accurate whereas chest-pain is 85% accurate. I had a normal EKG stress test however also did not experience chest pain during the test.

I also don't experience this pain during moderate exercise, only during vigorous exercise.

I did eat peanuts before I ran so perhaps it could be indigestion. I have had indigestion before but it usually feels different than this.

I suppose I could try to see if my doctor would send me for a nuclear imaging stress test however given that the EKG stress test was normal I doubt she will think that is necessary.

This is quite frustrating as I want to continue a healthy lifestyle but am afraid I'll drop dead on the treadmill!

... This is quite frustrating as I want to continue a healthy lifestyle but am afraid I'll drop dead on the treadmill!

The human body and the heart are very durable and tough. For instance, I have had Heart Failure for over 25 years. The top part of my heart is 50% larger than it should be and stretched out. I have heart valve problems and am close to 70 years of age.

Even though I do get occasional chest pains, and breathing problems while exercising, I still do the following almost every day:

600 steps on my stepper

300 pushups

200 weight curls with two ten pound hand weights

140 weight lifts with two ten pound hand weights

6 minutes on my stationary bike

2 thirty minute power walks

Exercise is GREAT for one's health. I do not allow my diseased heart to stop me from exercising. Sometimes, though, my heart is behaving badly and I am too tired, fatigued, having problems breathing, heart beating erratically and light headed; and in that case I either refrain from exercising, or limit the exercises that I do.

I am not suggesting that you ignore your chest pains. I am just giving you my own experiences for comparison.

The more exercises that I do, the better I feel. I am amazed at how much exercising improves my health and my heart!

Best of luck, and I hope that you are able to keep doing healthy exercises!

Just to be sure to communicate with your cardio your wanting to know what it could be and also talk to your regular doctor also. It could be anything, at least you are wanting to find out. Some people try using the internet to self diagnose, which is a bad thing we all know about. So good and hope you find out what it is soon. Hugs for today.